Father-of-five Keith Allday was planning to retire

The search for coxswain Keith Allday, 54, and helmsman Alan Massey, 37, is being scaled down and their families have been told to prepare for the worst.

Mr Allday, the town's harbourmaster and Mr Massey, hi s assistant, went missing on Monday lunchtime while carrying out a routine job in the harbour.

An intensive air and sea search for them was scaled down at lunchtime on Tuesday, and later police confirmed a body had been discovered at a nearby beach.

Rob Haworth, chairman of their local RNLI branch, was among the first to pay tribute to the men.

"Obviously both these guys have devoted their lives to saving people in trouble at sea. It is just such a tragedy.

"I have known Keith for 13 years and Alan for 15. I watched them both grow up on the lifeboats.

Words seem very futile at a time like this and our thoughts are with their families and friends Dafydd Whittall, Gwynedd council

"Everyone in the crew holds Keith in tremendous respect. He is a great friend and a very gentle man, which is not always the case with coxswains.

"Alan is a great character, there is no more popular guy on the boat, he is always so happy and an absolute pleasure to crew with.

"That is why every member of the crew has devoted their time and energy to trying to find them."

Andy Clift, divisional inspector of lifeboats, said: "We are still clinging to a last hope. I would like to offer our deepest sympathy to all family and friends of the two men."

Andrew Freemantle, Chief Executive of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, said: "Their families are feeling the full weight of these tragic events and we share their grief, for these men, a volunteer lifeboat coxswain and a volunteer lifeboat helmsman, are members of the RNLI family.

Lifeboat colleagues searched for the missing men

"As with all search and rescue operations of this nature the RNLI's volunteer crews, and everyone involved with the search, have acted with dedication and professionalism and we would like to pay tribute to their selflessness and courage."

Dafydd Whittall, Corporate Director at Gwynedd Council, said Mr Allday had worked for the authority since 1999 and Alan Massey joined him in 2002.

They were both experienced and highly respected members of the maritime unit, and within the community in Barmouth.

He said: "Words seem very futile at a time like this and our thoughts are with their families and friends."

Father-of-five Mr Allday had been coxswain for 12 years and had planned to retire next January. His wife Jill and children Emma, Sara, Sean, Kassie, and Kate, and granddaughter Molly, two, were being comforted by family and friends.

Mr Massey, a part-time taxi driver, has a mother and brother living in Barmouth.