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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

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

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable 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 witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – 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 seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water 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. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been reached out to for comment.