Children's authors from around the world have raised more than £200,000 for Save the Children in 24 hours as part of an appeal to help refugees affected by the crisis in Europe.

Patrick Ness, an award-winning children’s author who has twice won the Carnegie Medal, set up a fundraising page on Thursday morning in an attempt to do something concrete.

“My angry tweeting does pretty much nothing. Except say, maybe, that this isn't in my name. Which feels right but feeble,” he wrote, shortly before posting a link to a page in which he promised to donate £10,000 to Save the Children once the public had donated the same amount.

It might be misguided/foolish/hubristic, I don't care. I've been very blessed & if this is how I can help http://t.co/iDgBrCwj2E #refugees — Patrick Ness (@Patrick_Ness) September 3, 2015

The target was reached within two hours. Including gift aid, the total now stands at over £216,000.

John Green, whose bestselling young adult novel The Fault in our Stars was made into a successful Hollywood film last year, then offered to match the next £10,000, with Derek Landy, author of the children's series Skulduggery Pleasant, matching a further £10,000.

Once the total hit £30,000 another bestselling author, JoJo Moyes, whose novel Me Before You is currently being made into a film starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin, promised to match a further £10,000, followed by Green's brother Hank Green, with whom he presents a successful YouTube series, who pledged £10,000 more.

Last night, a group of American children's writers led by Rainbow Rowell, author of Eleanor and Park, promised to match another £10,000. Another group followed, with Maureen Johnson giving bespoke nicknames to everyone who donated on her Twitter timeline

And you are the VERY LAST ONE...AMPERSAND QUICKLY. https://t.co/WqdP5zY4ut — Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) September 3, 2015

Children's authors led the charge, but other bestselling writers soon joined in. Rosamund Lupton, the author of Sister, pledged £10,000, as did One Day and Us author David Nicholls, and the publisher's Anderson Press. Marian Keyes and Riley Purefoy have also pledged significant amounts.

So, to update: @Rosamundlupton has matched £10k up to £170, David Nicholls now matching up to £180k, @AndersenPress matching up to £190. — Patrick Ness (@Patrick_Ness) September 4, 2015

There have also been two anonymous donations of £10,000. Virgin Money Giving has agreed to waive its fees should the total raised reach £250,000, which would mean a further £5,000 for Save the Children.

Ness, whose latest novel The Rest of Us Just Live Here is published this week, was understandably overwhelmed by the public response to the appeal.

He tweeted: “I cannot tell how moving this is. My heart is bursting. Thank you guys so much.

"The things you guys have done have made me proud to be in the YA community, the book community, and the lovely community of you all here."

You can donate to Ness's Save the Children appeal at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/PatrickNess