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The water company is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the top official, requesting an explanation.

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

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; 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 form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. 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 very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species 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 quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "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. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, 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 contacted for a statement.