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The water company is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the beads may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, requesting an explanation.

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative 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 ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details 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 millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – 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 seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.