Calls for action after serious pollution at Camber Sands

Helena Dollimore, MP for Hastings and Rye, said the scale of the pollution is "severe" after the bio-beads, tiny pellets used in the treatment of wastewater, appeared on Camber Sands beach.

The pollution stretches around two miles along the coastline, the MP said.

Clean Jurassic Coast said it is "one of the worst they have ever seen" and the pellets are "extremely harmful to wildlife and incredibly difficult to remove".

In a letter to CEO of Southern Water Lawrence Gosden, Ms Dollimore said: "A continuous line of bio-beads stretches along the entire two-mile coastline, embedded in dense seaweed and sand.

"Local volunteers, Rother Coastal Officers and two expert charities - Strandliners and Nurdle, are working tirelessly on the beach to remove as many beads as possible, but it is a race against time."

The MP added that "a higher than usual" number of dead seals and harbour porpoises had been washing up onto the beach this week. She said the causes of death "must be investigated" in case there is a connection.

Rother District Council has warned dog owners to keep dogs on leads and under close supervision to stop them from eating the beads.

The council has said it is unclear where the pollution has come from and investigations are ongoing.

Residents and visitors are thanked for their cooperation and understanding while the matter is investigated.

Strandliners, an East Sussex non-profit organisation against plastic pollution, has called for volunteers to join in with the clear up, which is set to continue over the weekend.

The group said: "The pressure is increasing on the Environment Agency and Southern Water to explain the incident. Thank you to Helena Dollimore for visiting and seeing first hand the devastation at Camber Sands, and her subsequent research and investigation.

"We await answers."

A spokeswoman for Southern Water said: "We are working closely with the Environment Agency and Rother District Council to investigate the source of plastic beads which have washed up on Camber Beach, this investigation work is ongoing.

"Rother District Council is leading the clean-up of the beach, using specialists with a vehicle with suction equipment to remove the beads. We are also supporting with the clean-up.

"We've conducted water quality sampling on the beach, which has shown no impact to environmental water quality. This data has been shared with Rother District Council and the Environment Agency.”

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “We are aware that a large number of plastic nurdles have washed up along a stretch of coastline in East Sussex which includes Camber Sands.

 “We are providing advice and guidance to Rother District Council, which has employed contractors to carry out a clean-up operation. This work is currently under way.

 “We are working with other responders to identify the source of the pollution.”