Sweetcorn under attack now

For the first time ever, our sweetcorn were getting tall and looking like we might get a crop.  One day I went to the plot and two plants had been completely felled and several other had munch marks on the stems.  Thankfully I had a large piece of mesh and corralled the plants.  I've recently had to drop the mesh down a bit so the wind can do the pollination thing but hopefully that will be enough for me to get a crop this year.  I also think it's rats doing the damage as I've seen one on the site.  It's devastating when nothing is safe.

We have a problem on our site with muntjac deer, and sweetcorn seem to be one of the things they like to chomp. But rather than chewing up the whole plant,whether it be squashes, beans, corn, whatever, they leave the impression that they are just casually nibbling bits while they stroll past....