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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on the shoreline at Camber, sparking worries of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, as stated by a regional representative, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might consume them and die.

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

This coastal area, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the plastic waste, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"After ingestion, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Yesterday, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water 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 high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they frequently include harmful substances including heavy metals, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to look into the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

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

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for comment.