Joan O'Hara stood in the lounge of her semi-detached house in Stockbridge and said: "This is my palace. It's beautiful - I'm moved to tears."

Mrs O'Hara, 61, was back home after almost five months living in a hotel in Crossflatts.

She and her husband Michael, 53, were among about 400 people washed out last autumn by the worst floods to hit the area in 50 years.

Their home in Florist Street was swamped to a depth of about four feet. Yesterday was the first day she had the house to herself, free of builders and decorators. And she can't stop smiling.

"It's wonderful to be back. It's so lovely. We have lived in one room in a hotel all this time and although the people have been great, it's nothing like being at home," said Mrs O'Hara.

When the flood water swept in, she and Michael, who is employed at a dye works, managed to save some items upstairs, like the dining suite, television and her water colour paintings.

But almost everything else was lost and the structural repairs, including a new kitchen, and decoration has cost well over £10,000 - all met through their insurance.

"I can't thank the insurance company enough - they've helped take the pain out of everything," said Mrs O'Hara, who has lived in Florist Street for 14 years.

The repair work has involved re-plastering the walls, fitting new floorboards, skirting boards and doors.

The whole of the ground flood has been re-decorated.

Mrs O'Hara has now joined Stockbridge neighbourhood development group as vice chairman, and believes a new community spirit has grown out of the disaster.

"It's been a very humbling experience. And even coming back home has been traumatic, just making sure everything is right," she said.

"There will be a lot of mentally scarred people who will not get over this so easily and will still need help."

Now she wants members of the neighbourhood group to show support and offer to help people get their lives back together, especially the elderly.

The majority of homes in Florist Street and Worth Avenue are still unoccupied, and some people are not expected to be back until the early summer.

"There is still a lot of work to do to get the community back together," added Mrs O'Hara.

The group will be dealing with issues like crime and community safety, applying for funding and looking at the possibility of improving the streets.

* The Bradford District Flood Disaster Appeal Fund, set up to help flood victims who were under insured, is dealing with 40 claims.

More than £75,000 was contributed to the fund from Bradford Council, local business and individuals.

So far about £40,000 has been committed to help people.

Tony Kilner, City Hall's principal consultant solicitor, who advises the fund trustees, said the money was helping to meet the cost of providing equipment and repairs to enable people to get back into their homes as quickly as possible.

Anyone wanting more information should telephone 01274 752777.