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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, demanding an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. 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 draining. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – 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 most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish 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 meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.