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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on the shoreline at Camber, raising fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with concerns that protected marine species, such as seabirds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might ingest them and die.

A local official believes the beads may have been spilled from a nearby water treatment centre and has sent a letter to the top official, demanding an account.

This coastal area, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, filling dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the scale of the pollution spill is immense, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the sea; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, effectively."

"Once they’ve eaten it, there's no turning back: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

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

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are countless black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – helpers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the worst I have ever encountered of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The immense quantity of plastic beads that have washed up here risks an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are deadly to ocean and land animals, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. 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 supporting the clean-up operation in the interim."

These pellets are additionally hazardous to dogs as they hold a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, metalloids, and bromine.

A spokesperson for the water company said, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is ongoing."

"Local officials is leading the clean-up of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are also supporting with the removal process."

"We’ve conducted environmental testing on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. These results has been provided with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for a statement.