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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, 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 sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers 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 vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, in essence."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

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

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, nestled under seaweed. 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 most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove 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 requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting 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 provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.