A western Nebraska farmer on Friday found a man's body sealed inside a 55-gallon barrel.

The barrel was found floating in a creek near Bayard, KETV reported.

"He saw the barrel floating in the creek, and he thought it would make a good burn barrel," Morrill County Attorney Travis Rodak told the Omaha World-Herald.

He said the farmer immediately called police when he opened the barrel and saw a body inside.

Foul play is believed to have been involved in the middle-aged man's death since the lid of the barrel was screwed on, according to reports.

There were no visible signs of trauma on the body. The man had only been in the barrel for a couple of days.

An autopsy will be performed on Monday.