THE lives of two families were devastated at the weekend when two men were lost to the sea in separate drowning incidents.

Salcombe RNLI and local police helped to recover the bodies from the Salcombe coastline.

Keen sea angler Gary Steere, 51, was reported missing after failing to return home from a shore fishing trip on Thursday night.

Prawle Point, Hope Cove and Dartmouth Coastguard Rescue Teams, made an extensive search and the all-weather lifeboat recovered the casualty from the water close inshore at 3.26am.

On Saturday afternoon, the volunteer RNLI team were called out again when reports of a drifting vessel were received by Prawle Point National Coastwatch Institute, and recovered the body of an 80-year-old man.

The inshore lifeboat was launched just after midday and arrived on scene quickly, confirming that there was no one aboard the motor launch.

The all-weather lifeboat with a seven-strong crew arrived at the scene, three-quarters of a mile south west of Prawle Point and immediately carried out a search of the area and recovered a casualty from the water, 150m from the boat. Matt Davies, Salcombe RNLI, said: ‘Volunteer crew along with a winchman from the Coastguard rescue helicopter 109 from Portland carried out casualty care.

Both lifeboats returned to station where the casualty was handed over to paramedics at 2.30pm.’

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: ‘The man in his 80s was given CPR at the scene but was pronounced dead. His family have been informed and his death is not being treated as suspicious. A file will be prepared for the coroner.’

Kingsbridge resident Gary Steere was fishing at Gara Rock last Thursday, when he ‘was tragically taken from us’.

Gary, 51, was a local building contractor who had a passion for fishing, golf, and the water. A long-term member of Bigbury Golf Club, Gary also made time in his life for a love of football, kayaking, horse racing and gardening, with his own vegetable patch providing home grown produce.

Gary’s wife Ali said: ‘He was the one who did most of the cooking and cleaning, he loved cooking, and as soon as the sun came out he was outside, either fishing or playing golf. He had a wicked sense of humour and often used to make me laugh for all the wrong reasons.’

Gary leaves behind his mum Jean, daughter Victoria Millar, wife Ali and stepdaughter Beth Smith, his sister Donna Tickner, her husband Rikki and their two boys Tom and Alex. Gary’s father David died ten years ago.

‘He was just a lovely, lovely man’, continued Ali, ‘He was loyal to his friends and family and was very close to his mum and daughter.’

Ali thanked all the emergency services, Salcombe RNLI and the Police, especially PC Richard Loxton, who Ali called ‘brilliant’, and everyone who either joined the search or supported her at home.

Ali said the support of her friends and family has been very helpful.

‘The overwhelming amount of condolences and good wishes have been amazing. Thank you.’