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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

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

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items 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 attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, 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 seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. 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 also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

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