Players at the World Darts Championship have raised over £400,000 for Prostate UK after peppering the treble 20 in the opening nine days of the tournament.

Tournament sponsors Paddy Power have pledged to donate £1,000 every time a player hits 180 throughout the flagship event at the Alexandra Palace.

As play pauses for Christmas, the tally currently stands at £443,000 with 443 maximums, meaning the figure could smash the £1million mark when play resumes on December 27.

Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK Laura Kerby said: “In a staggering display of skill, the PDC players have managed to register an incredible 443 180s in the tournament to date. That’s 16 sessions of darts and an amazing £443,000 raised.

“It’s been compelling viewing at the Ally Pally, and thanks to those brilliant efforts from the world’s best players, we are making an incredible difference to men, one maximum at a time, and when the action resumes on December 27th we’ll be aiming to hit further heights.

“This iconic tournament is a sporting staple across the festive period, and our collaboration with the PDC and Paddy Power has not only put us at the heart of the action, but is a complete gamechanger for us and those men and their loved ones affected by prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men.”

One in eight men will be affected by prostate cancer and the campaign has also seen a huge uptake in a quick three-step online check.

Kerby added: “We’re thrilled at the success of the campaign to date and as well as some sharp shooting from the players, its hugely encouraging that more than 600,000 people have completed our online risk checker.

“One in eight men will be affected by prostate cancer. It’s a disease that is curable if caught early, but early-stage prostate cancer often has no symptoms, so it is vital that men know their risk. This online tool is the first step.”