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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, according to a local MP, with concerns that protected marine species, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the beads, filling 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 remove all of them.

A representative from a environmental organization remarked over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, effectively."

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

He added that the removal work have been exhausting. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. 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 most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many pellets 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 asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including heavy metals, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and local council to look into the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.