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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the beads 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, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

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

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently 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 requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.