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The water company is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

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

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.