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

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects 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.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the beads, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, 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."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, 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 seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.