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The water company is conducting an inquiry after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a potential "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could have a dire impact on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with concerns that rare sea life, such as seabirds, porpoises, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official believes the pellets may have been released from a nearby water treatment centre and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an explanation.

This coastal area, located in East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, featuring rare dune habitat and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to remove the pellets, collecting dozens of bags with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is improbable 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 ingest small plastic items once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will smell like food, in essence."

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

The expert continued that the removal work have been draining. "Recently, I was on site removing the debris. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the details for this horrendous event. It’s terrible."

"They are so small that from a very long way off, the beach appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions black pellets, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been working tirelessly, 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 contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of plastic beads that have appeared on this shore threatens an environmental catastrophe. These plastic items are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are observing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Community members are laboring diligently to clear away as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their nearby treatment facilities could be the origin of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to commit every possible asset to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

The beads are additionally hazardous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are recognized for carcinogenic properties, and they often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and district authorities to investigate the cause of polymer pellets which have washed up on the shoreline. The inquiry is still in progress."

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

"We’ve conducted water-quality sampling 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."

Regulatory officials has been reached out to for a statement.