Residents were allowed to return to properties on Thursday

Some people say it will be a long time before they can move back into severely damaged properties.

Meanwhile, people are being asked to share their stories with the Environment Agency.

It says eye-witness reports will play a vital role in helping experts piece together precisely what happened.

I would be absolutely be delighted to see that Boscastle looks exactly as we remembered it before the flood David Brown, North Cornwall District Council

A security cordon at the centre of the village was lifted at midday on Thursday by North Cornwall District Council after flash floods on Monday 16 August caused millions of pounds of damage.

Many residents say their homes are severely damaged and uninhabitable.

Homeowner Ron Muffett said: "It's going to be six to eight months, I think, of turmoil, trouble, heartbreak and rebuilding - and everything that goes with it.

"We've got to strip back to bare walls, replace kitchen equipment and hope to start again by the summer of next year."

Restaurateur John Smart, who had 50 people airlifted to safety from a flat on the top of his property, said: "Work for us is being made much more difficult by the fact the water wasn't turned off for the 10 days we've been away.

"So instead of having dried out silt, we've got thick sludge."

Many people had to be airlifted to safety during the flood

David Brown, chief executive of North Cornwall District Council, said: "Optimism is necessary, and given what has been achieved in a week, it's going to be done.

"I would be absolutely delighted to go there 12 months from now and see that Boscastle looks exactly as we remembered it before the flood."

On Friday and Saturday, the Environment Agency will be operating a drop-in centre at the village school.

It wants villagers to relive their flood experiences so lessons can be learned.

Anyone with information, photos or video footage is invited to call in.

The agency said it was particularly keen to find out the times the flood actually started and the heights it reached throughout the village.