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The water company is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, 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 rare sea life, including seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the top official, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and expansive areas of golden sand.

Volunteers have been racing against time to remove the beads, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

An expert from a environmental organization commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they cannot expel it. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the beach 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 – 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 most severe I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The elected official, who participated in the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an ecological disaster. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Local residents are laboring diligently to remove as many beads as possible, but it’s a race against time. The water company must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they hold a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are recognized for cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and local council to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the coast, which has revealed no effect to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the district council and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.