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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

A local official believes the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, demanding an account.

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

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

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

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "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 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, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks 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 beach."

"Local residents 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 local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting 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 district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for a statement.