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The water company is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, 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, demanding an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. 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 most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

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

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.