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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of contaminated plastic beads appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, requesting an explanation.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the contamination event is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. 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 a distance, the beach looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions 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 won’t be able to get rid of them all. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "The immense quantity of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are additionally hazardous to canines as they hold a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances including lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the source of polymer pellets which have washed up on Camber Beach. The inquiry is still in progress."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.