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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the beads, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in 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 sequence of events and the story 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 approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, 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 huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include toxins such as lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact 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.