The #FillTheSeats initiative, which was established last week, had originally aimed to raise $15,000 (£11,400/€13,400) to allow 500 youngsters to attend the Games for free.

Since it was unveiled last Tuesday (August 23), nearly $24,000 (£18,300/€21,500) has been generated, prompting the IPC and Rio 2016 to ask for the campaign to stay open to ensure more children in Brazil will get the chance to go to the Paralympics, which get underway on September 7.

The IPC have confirmed that up to 10,000 tickets can be purchased by the campaign at a price of $30 (£23/€27), which will cover transport, food and the sporting event itself.

All of the money raised through the scheme will go to the IPC’s official charity the Agitos Foundation, who have agreed to work with the Rio 2016 Organising Committee to distribute the funds.

Any surplus money will then be given to legacy projects for people with impairments in Brazil and other areas of South America, it has been revealed.

The campaign, launched by former London 2012 marketing director Greg Nugent, officially began with donations from wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden, a three-time Paralympic Games gold medallist and multiple world champion, and sister Hannah.

It then received the support of British pop rock band Coldplay, who performed at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics.

The #FillTheSeats scheme has now also merged with a separate crowdfunding initiative, entitled #savetheparalympics, which was set up following news that a series of cuts would be made to next month’s Games owing to financial problems.

“We’d like to thank Greg for coming up with the campaign and for Tatyana and Hannah for being the first to back it,” IPC chief executive Xavier Gonzalez said.

“This campaign proves the Paralympic spirit is global and the idea of Brazilian youngsters and people with an impairment going to the Paralympic Games is inspiring.

“We have decided to support #FillTheSeats because all money raised will be spent on taking people who maybe cannot afford a ticket to the Games.

“We want them to be part of history and part of Latin America’s first Paralympic Games.

“Having full stadia at the Paralympics is hugely important for the athletes and we encourage the whole Paralympic Movement and the world to get behind and support this campaign.”

The IPC have also announced that ticket sales have surpassed one million, with 95 sessions at the Games now sold out.

Ticket sales for the event had been a prominent concern for organisers after Rio 2016 announced during the Olympics that just 12 per cent were sold.

Fans then began to snap up seats for the Games, with 133,000 being sold last Tuesday and a further 145,000 the next day, bringing the total to more than 800,000 of the 2.5 million on offer.

The IPC have claimed strong sales continued over the weekend as a result of the Olympic Games, which concluded with the Closing Ceremony on August 21.

"We are very pleased to have passed the one million mark, it really shows that Brazilians are engaging with the Paralympic Games," Rio 2016 ticketing director Donovan Ferreti said. 

"There have been queues at our ticket offices and you can feel the excitement building around the city."