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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the beads, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, 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 is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.