Harry makes personal donation to help Brazilian children attend Rio Paralympics

Prince Harry has made a personal donation to a crowdfunding campaign aimed at getting Brazilian youngsters in the stands for the Paralympics.

The 31-year-old gave an undisclosed sum to the online #Filltheseats drive which is raising money to enable 10,000 children watch the Rio Games live.

Rock band Coldplay are among those supporting the global initiative, which was started by former London 2012 marketing director Greg Nugent.

It initially aimed to raise 15,000 US dollars to send 500 youngsters to the Games but, after generating 20,000 dollars in one week, the International Paralympic Committee and the Rio 2016 organising committee called for the campaign stay open.

A Kensington Palace spokeswoman said: "Prince Harry is following closely the Invictus Games champions who are competing in Rio and this is one way he is lending support to their efforts."

Harry sent a good luck message on Monday to the 11 Invictus Games competitors taking part, telling them the ''fight to the finish line won't be easy'' but that he was proud of them and they should make sure they have fun.

Former soldier Harry founded the Invictus Games - a Paralympic-style competition for injured servicemen and women - in 2014.

The Rio 2016 organising committee admitted as the Olympics came to a close last month that only 12% of the 2.5 million Paralympic tickets had been sold. But sales have now soared in the last two weeks.

More information can be found at www.generosity.com/education-fundraising/brazilian-kids-to-the-paralympics-filltheseats