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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

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

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

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

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added 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 story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, 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 elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.