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

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

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

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags 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 recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"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 dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers 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 worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets 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 supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists 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 regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.