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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and perish.

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

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

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

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. 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 working tirelessly to remove as many beads 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 dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

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

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.