SEVEN days ago, Amanda Dyas returned home from work to find her home in flames.

The morning after she tearfully stood in front of the rubble that used to be her first home struggling to comprehend that nothing remained.

A week on, the bulldozers have gone. Six homes that bristled with family life just seven days ago no longer exist. Another is likely to be demolished in the coming weeks.

Amid the despair, Ms Dyas and the other residents have begun to clamber through the emotional rubble.

For Amanda, shock and despair are gradually being replaced by relief and gratitude. Relief that no lives were lost or injury suffered, and thanks, to the neighbours she had never met before who offered kindness and support throughout the week from hell.

"This has been the most difficult week of my life.

"But the community response has been absolutely phenomenal. The people here are so nice.

"I just wish I had got to know them before. It's a shame it has taken something like this to really get to know people."

On Wednesday Amanda discovered she had landed the job at for which she had been interviewed just hours before she lost her home. She has already begun her new role as a lead coordinator at hi-tech communications firm General Dynamics in Newbridge and is also looking forward to moving into new rented accommodation later this week.

"It was nice to get the promotion. It has given me something positive to concentrate on and a new challenge.

"I find it quite hard to categorize how I feel. Sometimes I feel fine but then something will happen to remind me and I will get upset. I suppose I feel numb," she added.