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Southern Water 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 ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time 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. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove 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 origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.