MYRTLE BEACH Members of the Horry County police bomb squad safely detonated a suspicious item found in a farmer’s cornfield, and labeled it a hoax, according to Horry County police spokesman Sgt. Robert Kegler.

The farmer’s discovery of the item, which police would not describe in detail, around 1:30 p.m. prompted authorities to close Forestbrook Road between McCormick Road and Brookgate Drive for about five hours, Kegler said.

“It appears to be a hoax device,” Kegler said. “There were some things in there to make it look like it was a device.”

The farmer carried the item to the road before calling police, he said. “The area was secured by Horry County police, the bomb squad responded and detonated the item, and determined it safe.”

The investigation into who placed the device in the field and why is continuing.