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The water company is currently investigating after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small 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 – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove 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 provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.