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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the beads may have been released from a local filtration facility 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 unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the scale 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 commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. 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 can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together 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 beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who joined the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

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

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.