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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number 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, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the beads, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, 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."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets 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 more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

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

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.