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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 cause severe harm on marine life, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

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

This coastal area, located 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 clear the beads, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is polluted polymer. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. The water company must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.