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

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, 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 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 awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. 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 most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain 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.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "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 still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.