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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

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

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and expansive areas of golden sand.

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

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the story for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water 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 supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

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

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.