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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, 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 represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

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

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

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads 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."

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

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.