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Southern Water is currently investigating after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and perish.

A local official believes the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, situated in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags 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 environmental organization remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is polluted polymer. Marine animals will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in 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 sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – 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 most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an ecological disaster. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to remove the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted 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 regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.