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

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on ocean creatures, according to a regional representative, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as coastal birds, porpoises, and marine mammals, might consume 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 water company's chief executive, requesting an account.

This coastal area, situated in East Sussex, is one of England’s most beloved beaches, known for rare dune habitat and expansive areas of fine grains.

Volunteers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the plastic waste, but the extent of the pollution spill is immense, and it is improbable they will be able to clear every piece.

A representative from a environmental organization commented recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever witnessed. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will attract algae, they will appear edible, effectively."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will remain buoyant. It will create a slick which draws in plunging seabirds."

He added that the clean-up efforts have been draining. "Recently, I was out there cleaning it up. We are trying to accurately reconstruct the sequence of events and the details for this horrendous event. It’s awful."

"They are so small that from a a distance, the shoreline looks normal. But as soon as you get close up, you see there are millions dark beads, nestled under seaweed. It’s an unachievable mission – volunteers have been raking for days, and they will keep at it, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever encountered of a contaminated shoreline."

The elected official, who participated in the clean-up efforts, remarked, "The huge number of plastic beads that have washed up here threatens an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to ocean and land animals, and we are already seeing increased mortality among marine species on the beach."

"Community members are laboring diligently to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a race against time. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these biobeads, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to aiding the removal efforts in the interim."

These pellets are also dangerous to dogs as they contain a significant amount of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain toxins including heavy metals, antimony, and bromine.

An official representative for the water company stated, "We are working closely with the regulatory body and district authorities to look into the cause of polymer pellets which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"The district council is leading the clean-up of the shore, using specialists with a specialized machinery to remove the beads. We are additionally assisting with the clean-up."

"We have performed environmental testing on the coast, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. These results has been shared with the local authorities and the regulatory body."

Regulatory officials has been contacted for a statement.