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The water company is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets were found on Camber Sands beach, raising fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

These biobeads could have a dire impact on marine life, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including coastal birds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

The area's representative believes the beads may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

Camber Sands, situated in the southeastern region, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, featuring unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of golden sand.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent 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 over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume 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 float on the surface. It will create a slick which attracts diving coastal birds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"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 – helpers 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 elected official, who participated in the removal work, remarked, "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 coast."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to clear away as many beads 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 biobeads, and I’ve requested to commit every possible asset to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

These pellets are also dangerous to canines as they contain a significant amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to investigate the cause of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a vehicle with suction equipment to extract the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the coast, which has shown no impact to the aquatic environment. These results has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.