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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

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

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, 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 is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will consume 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 float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source 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 shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.