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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 potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, 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 top official, requesting an account.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent 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 remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species 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 local wastewater plants could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"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."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.