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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and die.

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

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: 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 on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers 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 polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, 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 more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect 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 comment.