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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a potential "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 seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the beads, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

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

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – 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 seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts 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 cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.