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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.