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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

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

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets 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 biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, 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. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting 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."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.