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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and die.

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

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

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, 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 seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets 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 often contain toxins such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.