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

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

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

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, 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 create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – 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 seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

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

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.