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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets 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 apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

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

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items 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 attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, 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 awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

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

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

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

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.