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Southern Water is conducting an inquiry after a vast number of contaminated plastic beads were found on Camber Sands beach, raising worries of a possible "environmental catastrophe".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a local MP, with apprehensions that protected marine species, including seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might ingest them and die.

A local official suspects the pellets 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 East Sussex, is a highly popular shoreline, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Local helpers have been working urgently to clear the pellets, collecting multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the contamination event is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to remove all of them.

A representative from a plastic pollution campaign group commented over the weekend, "This represents the most severe contamination incident I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Marine animals will ingest tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, in essence."

"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. "Recently, I was on site cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the timeline and the story for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a very long way off, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are countless black pellets, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a polluted beach."

The local MP, who joined the clean-up efforts, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore 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 pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must quickly determine if their nearby treatment facilities could be the source of these biobeads, 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 canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they frequently include toxins including lead, metalloids, and chemical elements.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said, "We are collaborating with the Environment Agency and local council to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on the shoreline. This investigation work is still in progress."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been provided with the district council and the Environment Agency."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for comment.