In article , Robert
writes
A friend of a friend has had 6 large courgette plants disappear in the space
of two days with only shrivelled stems remaining. I blame two legged rats or
has anyone experienced this with some other pest please?

One possibility is that the stems of the plants had rotted due to over-
watering. This can also happen to squashes, pumpkins, melons etc.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.