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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and perish.

A local official believes the pellets may have been spilled 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 a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the beads, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent 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 recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

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

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the story 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 approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. 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 local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed 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 reached out to for a statement.