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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, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

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

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, 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 environmental organization commented over the weekend, "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 cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. 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 keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species 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 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 canines as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.