ALEXA crashed as thousands of new Amazon Echo devices plugged in for the first time yesterday.

The voice-controlled virtual assistant was overloaded with requests — leaving users unable to get any response.

Alexa instead said after the crash around 10am: “Sorry, I’m having trouble understanding you right now.”

It left thousands of new Echo owners feeling far from festive.

Frankie Lyons tweeted: “Arghhhh my Alexa is down!!! Come on Amazon, what’s happening? Got no Xmas songs on!!!”

Alexa works by sending voice commands via an Amazon Echo device to a server, where a computer deciphers them.

Instructions then go back to the Echo, which can play music, read the news and weather and perform tasks including giving reminders and turning lights on.

One Twitter user posted a pic of a hand-written list of Christmas dinner tasks, adding: “I’ve switched to contingency mode for reminders!”

Amazon was unavailable for comment.