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The water company is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest 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 water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

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

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.