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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official believes the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, 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 witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

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

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing 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 race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

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

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.