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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, sparking 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 protected marine species, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest 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, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of golden sand.

Volunteers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which attracts plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the sequence of events and the details for this devastating incident. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have washed up here risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the beach."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to clear away as many beads as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous 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 such as lead, antimony, and chemical elements.

An official representative for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the beach, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the beads. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"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."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.